Rise Above the Rose City: The Portland Aerial Tram

The next time you visit Portland make sure you take a ride on the Portland Aerial Tram. Covering a distance of 3,300 feet, the tram rises 500 feet in elevation from the South Waterfront terminal to the Oregon Health & Science University. The view from the university looking eastward toward the Willamette River is fantastic!

On January 27, 2007, the Portland Aerial Tram opened to the public, and has increasingly become a tourist destination. The roundtrip fare is $4.00. For more info, see the Portland Aerial Tram’s Rider Info page.

Facts About the Tram

Cars: Two 79-passenger cars, both ADA-compatible

Capacity: 980 people/hour in each direction

Speed & ride time: 22 mph; 3 minutes

Frequency: Departs every 5 minutes during peak hours

Getting to the Tram
The Portland Streetcar conveniently stops at the lower terminal of the tram. For more info on the streetcar, see Portland Streetcar.

The Eastside: A New Comedy Haven?

If you are a fan of live comedy - the Eastside has quite a few laughs in store for you!  These local shows offer an alternative to the trek to Giggles or Comedy Underground in Seattle.

 

Laughs Comedy Spot, Kirkland: We were surprised to find that this venue is in Totem Lake, not downtown Kirkland like one might expect.  This ends up a blessing in disguise, as the parking is free, easy, and fairly plentiful.  We spent a great New Year's Eve here a couple of years ago.

 

Parlor Live, Bellevue: As swanky as you would expect from the Parlor Collection's latest offering.  Enjoy fantastic deals at the Happy Hour in the Billiards area before the early show - I'd highly recommend the Parmesan Waffle Fries! A very nice touch at the end of the show we saw was the comedians exuberantly thanking the owners for establishing such a nice live venue (heckling will see you removed) and then shaking the crowd's hands as we left the show.

Split 2nd Improv, Redmond: A partnership between SecondStory Repertory and Unexpected Productions brings comedic improv on select Friday and Saturday nights throughout the year. While I haven't seen Unexpected Productions' version of Theatresports, I've seen a similar style show in Portland on a couple of occasions and it was hilarious! 

For specific show times and tickets - check the calendars on each venue's website.

Passport Services at the Redmond Post Office

You can apply for a new passport book and the new passport card at the Redmond Post Office. You can also renew an existing passport book here. For an additional $15 fee, you can have a passport photo taken as well. Fees and payment methods for these services can be found at Passport Application Information.

To apply for passport services, stop by the Redmond Post Office during the following passport hours. You do not need an appointment:

For more information, call the Redmond Post Office at 425-869-3960. The location is:

7241 185th Ave NE Redmond, WA 98052

U.S. Passport Card
The U.S. Passport Card was introduced in July, 2008. This wallet-sized passport serves as a travel document that can be used to enter the United States from Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean, and Bermuda at land border crossings or sea ports-of-entry. For more info, see U.S. Passport Card.

Enhanced Driver License/ID Card
As an alternative to the U.S. Passport Card, you can apply for a Washington State Enhanced Driver License or ID card. The cost is $15 more than a regular driver license or ID card. Applicants must provide documentation to prove U.S. citizenship, identity, and Washington State residency. Applicants must also provide their social security number and have a digital photo taken, along with an interview with a Licensing Service Representative. For more info, see Washington State Dept. of Licensing.

On June 1, 2009, the U.S. government will implement the full requirements of the land and sea phase of Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI). The proposed rules require most U.S. citizens entering the United States at sea or land ports of entry to have a passport, passport card, or other travel document, such as an enhanced driver license, that is approved by the Department of Homeland Security.

Coulon Park: Dressed for Spring

The bronze sculpture of three persons, entitled Interface, at Gene Coulon Memorial Beach Park in Renton is often decorated according to the season. Spring brings out flowery outfits, while fall brings out Halloween costumes.

The life-size sculpture is the work of Phillip Levine, who tried to capture the smooth walking style of pedestrians. Soon after Coulon Park’s creation, Levine’s sculpture was chosen for the park in 1982. Think of it as the Eastside’s version of the Waiting for the Interurban statue in Seattle’s Fremont neighborhood.

About Coulon Park
Gene Coulon Memorial Beach Park is a 55-acre park at the southeast corner of Lake Washington. The swimming beach at the park opens for the season in mid-June. For details, visit the City of Renton site, Gene Coulon Memorial Beach Park.

Library Card = Free Bellevue Arts Museum Pass

King County Library System has partnered with Bellevue Arts Museum (BAM) to offer free passes to BAM exhibitions. The passes are limited to one per family or group and a pass earns complimentary entrance for two people. (First Fridays of each month are also regularly admission-free.)

To receive your free pass, choose one of the events on the Bellevue Regional Library Events Calendar and register in the form at the end of the event description. Bring your printed email confirmation to BAM when you visit.

In book related exhibitions, until June 14, BAM is showing "The Book Borrowers: Contemporary Artists Transforming the Book".  In this collection, view 31 examples of artists' transformation of books into sculptural works.

Job and Career Resources: Look to Your Library

When times get tough, look to your local library for information, ideas, and inspiration. During May 1-8, 41 KCLS libraries will open one hour earlier as part of the Look to Your Library event. This event encourages the community to explore the library’s vast information resources, particularly those for jobs and career info. During the first two hours each day that week, librarians will demonstrate the latest online tools for getting help and information you need.

Online Job and Career Resources
To help King County residents through the current economic crisis, KCLS has compiled an extensive online resource guide that provides answers to questions such as:

	Searching for a job?
	Just laid off?
	Bills piling up?
	Struggling small business?

You can also use the KCLS Library Catalog to search for books on jobs and career guidance. For example, KCLS has 10 copies of Richard Bolles’ What Color is Your Parachute, a practical guide for job-hunters and career-changers

Libraries as Career Centers
All over the country, libraries have become centers for providing resources for job and career guidance. The recent Newsweek article, Reading Into the Future, talks about this transformation of libraries. The article highlights librarians at a suburban Detroit library who are spending countless hours training people to use computers. The librarians help people to research job openings, fill out online job applications, and set up email accounts.

Trees, Trees, and More Trees

The recent sunny weather that encourages us to get  outside reminds us all of how incredibly fortunate we are to live in a locale with such amazing natural resources.  Show your support for Mother Nature and all she has to offer at one of the upcoming local "green" events.  Take your pick - both Earth Day and Arbor Day are celebrated in April.

April 22nd Earth Day

• The City of Redmond smartly celebrates Earth Day a  little early, to avoid contention with other events later in the month.  On Saturday, April 11th, trees will be planted along the Sammamish River. 
  More Details.
• Join Habitude at a special midnight viewing on Tuesday, April 28th of Disney Earth at Metro Cinemas in the U-District. All proceeds ($5 donation) benefit the Puget Soundkeeper Alliance.  Email craig@habitude.com for more information.

April 8th Arbor Day
(for Washington state. Nationally, Arbor Day is on the last Friday in April. Many states celebrate on different dates due to best tree-planting considerations.)

• The City of Redmond (Tree City for 9 years) celebrates with the rest of Washington state on Wednesday, April 8th at Farrel-McWhirter Park.
  More Details.
• The City of Issaquah (Tree City for 15 years) will be holding a tree planting ceremony on April 8th. More Details.
• The City of Woodinville (Tree City for 12 years) celebrates both Earth and Arbor Day on April 18th.  More Details.

If getting grubby isn't on your to-do list this month, Redmond Regional Library also hosts the Sustainable Futures Book Club. Their next meeting is April 8th.

Create the Next KCLS Library Card!

The King County Library System (KCLS) is sponsoring a Library Card Contest for school-age children. Elementary, middle school, and high school students are invited to submit designs for a new KCLS library card. Three winners, one from each age group, will have their design featured on a library card! Each winner also receives a $100.00 gift card to Barnes and Noble.

Contest Details
Submissions may be in any medium, such as photography, crayon, marker, and pen and ink. All photos and illustrations must be original works and free of copyright restrictions.

Entries may be submitted from April 1 to April 30, 2009. For more information, see Library Card Contest.